MME. PADEREWSKI'S £500 HEN.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLV, Issue 13781, 20 June 1908, Page 2 (Supplement)

MME. PADEREWSKI'S £500 HEN.

| RECORD PRICE FOR ORPINGTONS. The announcement ' that Mine. Paderewski, the wife of the famous musician, has j paid £1520 for five, Crystal White Orpingj tons 1 (a cock and. four hens) created more | than a flutter in the dovecotes. v j By many the rumour was avowedly disj believed, for the sum paid was so far in advance of . the previous• record price for j Orpingtonswhich was £140 for three j —that it was almost incredible; but J the repeated assurances of those connected I with Mme. Paderewski's poultry farm J have set doubts at test. The birds were brought from the Kellerstraws Poultry Farm, near Kansas City, U.S.A., by Mme. Paderewski, who has been accompanying M. Paderewski on hi* long concert, tour through the United States; and they reached Riond Bosson, near Merges, the beautiful little estate which M. Paderewski purchased some years ago, just in time to be exhibited at a representative poultry show at Lausanne, Switzerland. STRAIN ORIGINALLY ENGLISH. Mme. Paderewski, who is a keen and successful poultry farmer, has specialised •t> some extent in Orpingtons, and has manv vcrv tine black and buff birds. -So when she saw these Crystal White beauties at the Madison Square Garden? Show, in New York, she arranged to visit the Kellerstrass farm, at Kansas City, where she promptly purchased the five birds which are now the pride and the glory of the Riond Bosson farm. In the United States these birds have won manv prizes at the groat shows m New York, Boston, Chicago, Jamestown, and elsewhere, while they have commenced their career in Europe by winning a special prize, and the. highest commendations of the judges --' 4 . .La.tw.3Mft. - " " It is fWa.ible that- they will be seen at all the great shows on the Continent and in England in the near future. At first the Crystal White Orpington was a freak. But now it is a carefully cultivated breed, for which the Kellerstrass farm is famous. The strain was originally imported from.England by Mr. Kellerstrass. "who paid £40 for a cock; but it has since been so highly developed that Mr. Kellerstrass may almost claim to bo the originator of the variety. Mme. Paderewski.' group of birds are very fine specimens of the breed. Their plumage is white, glossyalmost iridescent—and their combs and wattles arc brilliant scarlet..

When found at Lausanne they were rather thin, and somewhat out, of plumage after their long journey, but they have since quite regained their beauty, and have considerably improved in condition, and they bid fair: to take their place- as tho finest Crystal White Orpingtons ever exhibited in Europe.

The most valuable of the. five is the hen, Victoria, a perfect specimen of the breed, which has been valued at £500 by American experts. Christina is also a very fine hen and the two other hens,. Lady Helen and Olga, though not quite so good, aro worthy to keop them company. Tho cock, Crystal King, is a fine bird, but he is rather too straight-breasted to please the experts who have seen him.

In all cases the plumage of tho birds is pure white— they have not a single dark feather among them to spoil their beauty. Mmc. Pa.ierewski has thoroughly studied the industry she has taken up. Her farm, which is under the care of an English keeper, Jlr. Harry Archer, of Buckinghamshire, is in a flourishing condition. In fact, Iliond Bosson, where M. Paderewski has established the most successful fruit farm in Switzerland, will probably become ono of the best known poultry farms in Europe.